If you’re viewing this page on a phone or tablet, please turn to view in landscape mode, thank you. If you can’t see the list of services on the right hand side please use the connecting links or scroll down for these and other events and information.

Current news and updates.

Ukraine

We continue to pray for the people of Ukraine, and also for those in Russia. Let’s also remember the countless other people in Yemen, Syria and so many other countries in our trouble world.

Click here for a letter from our Archbishops.

Click here for a form of prayer from the 24-7 Prayer group (Lectio 365)

Our Worship

Details of our regular Sunday worship and church life online in midweek and on Sunday evening, can be found here. Our online services are led by Rev Lynn and the Ministry Team using Zoom software. These include morning and evening prayer and are on most days of the week.  Please contact Rev Lynn if you would like to join us, there is no requirement to live within our benefice, you would be most welcome! With our now having services in both in church and online on Zoom, we have become a “hybrid” church – a church that recognises that it is the being together that counts, more than where you are sitting, to worship God. (Photo by Joshua Eckstein on Unsplash)

Revd Canon Lynn Parker retiring

Revd. Lynn will be retiring at the end of August – here’s a letter from her:

“To the congregations of the parishes of the St Germans Group, with Antony and
Sheviock
I hereby give you three months’ notice that I intend to retire in August having
reached the age of 68. My last working day will be 31st August 2022.
I shall be leaving the benefice, but I will be staying in the Deanery and therefore
within the Diocese.
Working as a priest has been a happy and fulfilling time, and I now look forward to
serving and ministering in a different way through retirement.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for all the help and support you have
given me during my time serving you here.
It has not been easy with having a pandemic start 8 months after arrival in the new
benefice, but we have all pulled together through it, and learnt new skills and ways
of working and worshipping together.
As I leave, the benefice will be taking on change again as it goes through the On
The Way process of joining with another benefice, but I am certain that you have
the resilience and skills to do this in a positive manner and embrace the new
opportunities that will be before you.
With love and best wishes for the future
Lynn”

The On The Way process continues with a successful meeting of the Episcopal College. The Deanery Plan has now been updated and sent to PCC secretaries and Deanery Synod reps. in advance of the Bishop’s anticipated sign off and the meeting of Deanery Synod to vote on the plan. You can watch an update from Bishop Philip here  There will be a PCC meeting on 27th June after the 7pm Zoom service to review the plan and make recommendations to our Deanery Synod reps. You can read the Deanery plan here, and a letter from the Bishops here. Please note that the letter speaks of Deanery Synod review in September, but it is definitely end of June! 

Dates for your prayers please!

Monday 20^th June 1130am Bishop’s Sign Off

Thursday 30 June 7pm Deanery Synod meets to approve/disapprove the plan

The timelines are tight, and we must be in no doubt that our churches will be forever changed by this process. We know that the models of church that we have are no longer serving us well, so we must seek and implement new structures that are fruitful and sustainable for the future.

You can help in the following ways

1. Join in the discussions as they happen
2. Pray for us all to understand how the church in this area can be fruitful and sustainable:

• Use the On The Way prayer in your daily prayers
• Attend the Diocese On The Wayprayer meeting every Thursday at 0830hrs using this Zoom link

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuceqspj4vG9wwbcesMTIqT_RDmatPQgXc

• Other updates are now available on the Deanery website – click here to visit that page.
• Bishop Philip recently gave a very pertinent Presidential Address at the recent Diocesan Synod meeting where he shared his vision of the Church in Cornwall. Read it in full here.

Home/Small Groups

Home Groups will be launching in the Benefice this September.  Those of you who have previously been involved in such groups will know that Home Groups are an important part of nurturing a church community, they keep the fire of faith burning between Sundays and therefore raise the spiritual temperature that we start from on a Sunday – we’ve already seen this effect through the weekday Zoom services.

The groups will meet weekly at a time to suit the group members and each group would have 6-8 people. The groups can use the time to discuss that week’s sermon, for prayer and fellowship.

Home Groups need a leader and a host, this may be the same person or it may be two people who pair up to run a Home Group.  Hospitality (Gospeltality!) is a key part of this; however it doesn’t need to take place in someone’s home.  Zoom could also be used to help accessibility for a group – although that does make offering coffee and cake slightly harder!

Thank you to those who have responded, we do have space for more groups though.  Once our leaders are in place, we will be looking for group members.  If leading is not for you, at this moment, do keep an eye out for information on how to join a group.

Platinum Jubilee

The Platinum Jubilee was successfully and enjoyably completed within the parish with, amongst others, an excellent lunch at Downderry on the Sunday and a lovely Messy Church session on the Saturday. Donations given on the Saturday will be divided between the Childrens Hospice South West and the Church of England Childrens Society. As always, many thanks go to all those involved in the organisation and helping out at these events, and to those who came along an joined in.

• Our monthly newsletter can be read/downloaded here.

The next Messy Church at St Germans Priory will be Saturday 9th July, 10-12 noon (date to be confirmed).

Pub theology continues online, now moved to Monday evening, monthly.

• St Nics lunches
  • Community lunch – details forthcoming for the next event

• St Germans Priory
  
• Click here for details of the events above.

• Covid restrictions – we are currently reviewing our policies in the light of the forthcoming removal of restrictions.  We remain mindful of the government emphasis on all of us taking care of our own well being and safety. Our policies are designed to respect those in our congregations who are more vulnerable, and those who wish to continue with the restrictions. Mindful of the anxieties from our congregation and visitors, the churches have a responsibility to support public health. We will therefore continue to strongly encourage all our visitors to wear face coverings, sanitise hands and register with the Test and Trace system when visiting or worshiping.
  • In addition, our worship patterns will remain the same. We will continue with singing of hymns, but with masks, which may be uncomfortable.
  • Holy Communion will continue to be in one kind (the bread) only. We will continue to remain in our seats for the sharing of the peace.
  • We will continue our strict cleaning regimes.
  • All our churches are open to visitors as places of interest, prayer and reflection.
  • We will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation and may change our advice as deemed necessary.

Online options

There are many options for worship and prayer online….

Or you could still listen to one of the many radio options – Radio 4, Radio Cornwall offer services on a Sunday around 8am.

Or you could look at: Church of England website that now has more services to join – or at many churches and cathedrals up and down the country who have other offerings

A very good resource is https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/church-online

Browse a whole range of prayers you can choose from to read – or listen to:

Or using your computer, tablet or phone (as you prefer) and from your web browser access morning and evening prayer using this link:

Click here and choose what you need.

To read or hear the prayer for today, click on this link: http://cofe.io/TodaysPrayer

Browse around the various pages and you’re sure to find something that interests you.

Alternatively download an App for your tablet or phone. Church House Publishing or provide a number of these Apps and these can be downloaded from https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/daily-prayer

Parish Contacts

Parish Priest: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker – main point of contact for all matters

Curate: Rev. Laura Bushell-Hawke

Parish Wardens: Paul Gribble and Rosemary Stevenson

Readers/Licensed Lay Ministers: Richard Laugharne, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, David Watters, Matt Frost

For weddings, baptisms, funerals and church services:  Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, David Watters and Margaret Sylvester-Thorne

Children’s work: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, Evelyn Reed, David Watters, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Messy Church: Evelyn Reed

For buildings and general parish enquiries: the Parish Wardens:   Paul Gribble and Rosemary Stevenson

For Safeguarding:  Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke

Pastoral Visitors Team:  Pat Paxton

Parish Giving Scheme:  Paul Gribble

Finances: the Treasurer, Paul Gribble

Electoral Roll: Rosemary Stevenson

Enquiries about individual churches:

Downderry:  Andrew Pidgen

Hessenford: Fran Moore

St Germans: Richard Laugharne

Tideford: Evelyn Reed

Deanery Synod Reps:  David Watters,  Rosemary Stevenson and Paul Gribble

Cashiers: Peter Daw – St Germans; Tim Pullin – Downderry; Hugh Parker – Tideford and Fiona Bristow – Hessenford.

Additional PCC Members from May 2020

Tim Pullin, Stephen Guffick, Tilly Thompson, Yvonne Byles, Hugh Parker, Susan Booth, Dawn Couling, Fiona Bristow, and Bill Woods.

Hire and other info on St Germans Priory Church for events:

The St Germans Priory Trust:   www.stgermanspriory.info

Hire of the Church Hall in Hessenford:  http://www.hessenford.net

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~   News and Events in the Parish   ~

We are starting to reintroduce our public events, whilst some continue online.

St Nic’s Lunches

Much progress has been made by Sandra Pearce and her team towards getting the lunches going again. The next event(s) is/are:

Date to be advised

Contact Sandra on 01503 250798 or email smpearce25@btinternet.com to book a space

As always, no charge, but donations welcome.

Zoom Pub Theology

Now running monthly

A chance to discuss ideas and thoughts about all matter of things theological.

After a short introduction of 5 minutes (or more), the conversation is open.

Meet via Zoom from 7.30 – 8.30pm first Monday of the month, starting June 7th

Topics:       TBA….please let Richard have any suggestions

For a Zoom link or enquiries or suggestions, ring Richard Laugharne (01503-230333) or email on richard.laugharne@nhs.net

All welcome! Click here to go back to top.

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2022 Events at St Germans Priory Church

Wednesday 22nd June – East Cornwall Bach Choir Rehearsal

Friday 24th June – St Barnabas Trust Schools

Saturday 25th June – East Cornwall Bach Choir concert

Friday 30th September – Evensong with Bishop Nicholas and Bishop Hugh.

Bell ringing practice every Thursday evening
Messy Church first Saturday each month